Botanist sees a different side of AEDC's environment

  • Published
  • By Janaé Daniels
  • AEDC/PA
Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. --  Kevin Willis doesn't have just any ordinary job. 

He spends his time outside, wading through briars, land and water researching current, new and unique plant species that are housed on Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) property. 

As the AEDC botanist for the past four years, Willis is responsible, with other conservation staff, for monitoring and managing ecosystems at the center. 

"What that means is I make sure all our plant communities are sustained, and their response to our management is in line with our goals and the plan we coordinate with the Air Force," he explained. 

According to Willis, Arnold provides habitat for 62 plant species listed as threatened or endangered by the state of Tennessee. No plants are currently federally listed. 

"The Tennessee sunflower, our biggest success story, was populous enough to be removed from the federal list in 2005," he explained. "This was largely due to the stewardship here at Arnold." 

Arnold has different habitat types, ranging from full canopy forests, where very little light penetrates, to open prairie-like areas like at the airfield. In fact, one of the rarest species Arnold has is located at the airfield. 

"Prairie Gentian is the rarest species on base," he said. "The Arnold airfield is home to one of only three populations for all of Tennessee." 

With 62 species to maintain, it seems Willis has a huge job on his hands. 

"With so many, we cannot manage for each individual species, so we have to prioritize," he said. "We choose our priority targets using scientific criteria. It may be that there are few populations in the entire state, or it may be that we're managing actively for a habitat or community-type and certain species are good indicators of success." 

Willis finds the most fun thing about his job is working in Arnold's variety of environments. 

"The most gratifying part is ensuring the health of our rich and unique flora, occasionally finding new species for the base and showing off the plants and ecology of Arnold and Tennessee to visitors," he said. 

Conversely, Willis finds the most challenging part about his job is staying inside in the cooler months. 

"The hardest part is the winter, the sit-down report writing time," he said. 

Willis says a problem he sees facing the species on base right now is the loss of suitable habitat, not just at Arnold, but throughout their historic ranges. 

"Our base wide management of natural resources is founded on sound biological science and experience," he explained. 

"As a result, Arnold is a unique functioning refuge for many species; but it can provide only about one-tenth of the original regional habitat area. Our region is not special in that regard - habitat degradation and loss are the most common threats to the conservation of natural heritage at almost any place in the country." 

Prior coming to AEDC, Willis worked at the University of the South in Sewanee. 

"Working at the university, I was doing more academic lab-type work as well as some teaching," he explained. "It was a two-year contract and when that time was up, I heard about this position." 

Willis says he misses the teaching at times, but enjoys helping people identify things and answering questions. 

"I like to share this information with people who come to me and are interested," he said. "It has a definite advantage over teaching at a school: you're not stuck with a class of 30 people who probably don't want to be there or care much for the subject." 

Close to graduating from college with a degree in English, Willis got the opportunity to work at a nursery over the summer and quickly found a new field to explore. 

"I didn't like my prospects with an English degree," he recollected. "When I started at the nursery, I really enjoyed working with plants and people interested in them - so I changed my track and haven't regretted it since."